The presence of stablemate Raging Force in the San Domenico Stakes has prompted trainer Peter Snowden to take a different route with Grand Prairie, who will also undergo a key gear change.
Snowden contemplated running the pair over the shorter 1100m San Domenico course but felt Raging Force would have Grand Prairie’s measure over the distance.
Grand Prairie will instead step up to 1300m in Saturday’s other feature, the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes where Snowden has opted to take the winkers off to help him relax in the run.
“He is a very laidback horse, very lazy in his work. That’s why I added winkers to his gear and that really does spark him up,” Snowden said.
“I’ve taken them off him on Saturday because if he can settle in the race like he does in his work at home he will be a great chance.”
Grand Prairie will have race fitness on his side, having resumed with an 1100m win on the Kensington track in July followed by consecutive seconds in Saturday company, the most recent behind Skyhook in the Listed Rosebud (1100m).
Aware the three-year-old races are only going to continue to deepen in the lead-up to next month’s Golden Rose (1400m), Snowden views the Up And Coming Stakes as an ideal black-type opportunity for Grand Prairie.
“He was beaten fair and square the other day and a pretty handy horse beat him but we had fitness on our side, heavy going and the other horse had 60 kilos who won,” Snowden said.
“It made me think maybe he’s not quite good enough for those really good horses.
“The horse of Gerald (Ryan’s, Skyhook) is a good horse the way he won, but you’re going to meet more of them and maybe going a bit further (in distance) will help.
“I’ve had horses similar to him and I’ve done the same thing and it has come off.”
A select field of eight has been paid up for the Up And Coming Stakes, although Central Coast won’t take his place after trialling at Rosehill on Thursday instead.
